Local woman survives lightening strike

Anyone who has been near a lightening strike knows why the ancient Greeks and Romans regarded it as the power of Zeus, king of the gods.

The strikes are loud and very powerful, around 300 kilowatts. And from time to time, lightening strikes kill people.

But in defiance antiquity's gods, Deborah Meyer of Price has survived a strike that took her dog, Archie, and left her temporarily paralyzed.

"I just never though about being stuck by lightening," said Meyer. " It was a horrible, horrible experience that I would never wish on anyone."

It all happened on Aug. 6 when Meyer was coming home to check on Archie.

She remembers getting out of her car and walking down to unhook the dog from the fence. But by the time she had a hold of his collar she remembers becoming engulfed by a massive flash which she describes as no less than being in a bomb explosion.

"It was so loud, I should have lost my hearing," said Meyer. "But I didn't and feel very fortunate."

After regaining consciousness, her arms and legs had gone limp. Being left on the ground, Meyer had no choice, but to crawl for help through 100 yards of mud.

Nearly two hours passed as she struggled, yelling for help and making her way forward, but luckily her neighbors had come home to check on some animals and found her.

When the ambulance arrived shortly after 4 p.m.., Meyer was in rough shape and cannot remember much after that, but since has been able to analyze what happened.

"The strike hit us both, but started at a big cottonwood tree in the yard and traveled through the rubber-coated wire that the dog was hooked to." said Meyer " When I woke up Archie was dead and I couldn't move they said it was temporary paralysis."

The cottonwood tree is burnt and Meyer's yard is scattered with bark from the explosion, but she escaped relatively unscathed. Her scars are the typical spider webs found on strike victims. She said she feels pins and needles in her hands and feet if she sits still too long. She has been able to avoid taking some medications as the pain is not excruciating and only reports being on antibiotics.

"The lightening went through my hands and down my body. There's two exit wounds one on my navel and another on my foot," said Meyer.

Witnesses have said they could see and hear the strike from the county fairgrounds located close by and that it was impressive from a distance. But from up close Meyer might use different words to describe it.

"I just hope I can get back to normal," said Meyer.

Since the incident, Meyer been doing research on the Internet about lightening and getting connected with other strike victims.